Manila court acquits Teves, 2 others in 2019 murder

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court has cleared expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. and two others of the murder of a board member in the province in 2019.

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15 acquitted Teves and fellow accused Richard Namoco Cuadra and Rolando Pinili and ordered their release.

But Teves will remain in jail as he is facing other charges of murder, frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms and explosives before various courts in Manila, Quezon City and Negros Oriental.

“Right now, it does not mean… that he will be released, because he is still facing other cases that are also non-bailable,” Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said yesterday in Filipino during an interview with “Storycon” on One News.

The RTC granted the demurrer to evidence filed by the three, citing the insufficiency of evidence presented by Department of Justice prosecutors to prove their guilt, according to radio reports citing the 35-page decision issued by Judge Eduardo Ramon Reyes on Jan. 5.

Reyes ordered the release of Cuadra and Pinili from the Manila City Jail, and of Teves from the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 2, “unless held for some other lawful cause.”

It also archived the murder cases against Hannah Mae Sumerano, Jasper Tanasan and Alex Mayagma who all remain at large. The cases can be revived once they are arrested.

The cases against Teves and others stemmed from the complaint filed by the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, accusing them of killing former Negros Oriental board member Miguel Dungog in March 2019, based on a confession by the alleged gunman.

Teves reportedly ordered a group to take Dungog down for P50,000.

In a press statement, DOJ spokesperson Raphael Niccolo Martinez said the department has yet to receive any official order from the trial court confirming the reported acquittal.

The copy of the order was released to reporters by Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio.

A court’s grant of a demurrer is tantamount to the defendant’s acquittal.

Teves still faces charges of being the mastermind behind the assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and several others in March 2023. — Janvic Mateo, Elizabeth Marcelo